Changes

attribute difference is the difference between attributes of an entity like the difference between attributes like colour, form, shape, capacity, etc; where one attribute cannot substitute the other. Similarly, there is a difference between Jeevatma and Paramatma along this three bedhams. Paramatma and jeevatma both have intelligence or gyana, but the jeevatma s intelligence is limited by the body it resides. So, here we see sajatiya bedam. Bramham or Paramatma has wisdom and the objects and materials we see do not possess any intellect. This is vijatiya bedam. As God cannot be worshipped if there was no form or He did not possess qualities like mercy, Bramham has forms and qualities and so here the swagata bedam is exhibited. So Bramham has all the three types of bedam. Bhagavan has gunams i.e Saguna Brahmam i.e Kalyaana gunams, Tirumeni etc. Saying Bhagavan has no Gunam, Tirumeni etc (Nirguna Brahamam) is incorrect.

attribute difference is the difference between attributes of an entity like the difference between attributes like colour, form, shape, capacity, etc; where one attribute cannot substitute the other. Similarly, there is a difference between Jeevatma and Paramatma along this three bedhams. Paramatma and jeevatma both have intelligence or gyana, but the jeevatma s intelligence is limited by the body it resides. So, here we see sajatiya bedam. Bramham or Paramatma has wisdom and the objects and materials we see do not possess any intellect. This is vijatiya bedam. As God cannot be worshipped if there was no form or He did not possess qualities like mercy, Bramham has forms and qualities and so here the swagata bedam is exhibited. So Bramham has all the three types of bedam. Bhagavan has gunams i.e Saguna Brahmam i.e Kalyaana gunams, Tirumeni etc. Saying Bhagavan has no Gunam, Tirumeni etc (Nirguna Brahamam) is incorrect.

2.13. dehino smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati "As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A brave person is not concerned by such a change." We have seen that Bramham, Chit and Achit as the thatvathrayam and their relationship and differences. Sri Krishna tries to clear the doubt in Arjuna s mind and tells that Atman is eternal and cannot be destroyed. Body is required and we have to take care of it to the extent possible and the perishable nature of it has to be kept in mind. Atman is pure and superior to body. In the previous sloka, Krishna explains that Souls are eternal . So, Arjuna had a doubt, if souls are eternal, then what is the meaning of birth, death etc which we see in the world. In response, Krishna answers with this sloka. Just like a human goes through various stages of life from boyhood, adulthood, old age, undergoing changes in his body and appearance and experiences, but still has the "I" untouched, similarly soul embodies itself in bodies and disembodies as per it's karma. Sankara says "Punarapi Jananam , Punarapi Maranam" in "Bhaja Govindam" i.e a soul goes through cycle of birth and death through the body, though it itself is unchanging. Atma is unchanging, it is nityam. But, when it enters a body,it is called Birth. And when it sheds the body , it is called Death. It is similar to the body itself going through Kumaram, Yauvanam, Jara (old age), but the person itself is the same. It's intresting to note that, there is no grief expressed when a body transitions through these stages of boyhood, youth, old age (infact it is celebrated through

various rituals!), but when the soul sheds the body (death), it is considered tragedy. Sri Krishna says a brave man will not brood and lament. We see deaths and births. The great philosopher Adi Sankara says punarabi jananam punarabi  maranam  It is a cycle, withbirths and deaths repeating. A soul can get released from this cycle only by uttering Sri Govinda s name, says Adi Sankara. Atman as such is not born. When it contacts and resides in a body we call it birth. When the same atman departs from the body it was residing, we call it death. But atman never dies. In this sloka, atman is referred as dehi. A person is born as a child; he becomes a boy, then a lad and then old man. These changes pertain to body only and not to the soul. Sri Krishna calls him who understands this true nature of the soul a dheera or brave man. When a person becomes a boy after being a child but never laments that he lost his childhood. Similarly an old man does not mourn for the lost youth. On the contrary, we celebrate every stage in our life, like marriages, fatherhood, etc (Seemantham, Punyojanam, Marriage, Saattabhishekam, Kaanakabhishekam etc). The soul in the body- I - has been watching all these changes happening on the body. It is able to remember when the body was of a child and then of youth, etc. We remember when we started learning cycling and similar details. Another great philosopher Madhavcharya, says, we should lament when child becomes youth. Whereas we are happy and celebrate. We should realize that we are going from one phase to another. A worm while moving from one leaf to another, clings to the new leaf and leaves the earlier one. Same thing happening to body also and so there should be no room for worry and concern. A person with such attitude is called dheera. After listening to this explanation , the Lord expects arjuna to reply as  I accept that the body is perishable and the soul is permanent . But the soul is not divorced from the body . I have to bear the suffering due to arrows piercing my body and that of others who are dear to me . How then do you justify this war with respect to the degree of suffering caused ?  This question is answered by the lord in the subsequent slokas .  

 

dehino ’smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati ॥ 2-13 ॥

 

"As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A brave person is not concerned by such a change." We have seen that Bramham, Chit and Achit as the thatvathrayam and their relationship and differences. Sri Krishna tries to clear the doubt in Arjuna s mind and tells that Atman is eternal and cannot be destroyed. Body is required and we have to take care of it to the extent possible and the perishable nature of it has to be kept in mind. Atman is pure and superior to body. In the previous sloka, Krishna explains that Souls are eternal . So, Arjuna had a doubt, if souls are eternal, then what is the meaning of birth, death etc which we see in the world. In response, Krishna answers with this sloka. Just like a human goes through various stages of life from boyhood, adulthood, old age, undergoing changes in his body and appearance and experiences, but still has the "I" untouched, similarly soul embodies itself in bodies and disembodies as per it's karma. Sankara says "Punarapi Jananam , Punarapi Maranam" in "Bhaja Govindam" i.e a soul goes through cycle of birth and death through the body, though it itself is unchanging. Atma is unchanging, it is nityam. But, when it enters a body,it is called Birth. And when it sheds the body , it is called Death. It is similar to the body itself going through Kumaram, Yauvanam, Jara (old age), but the person itself is the same. It's intresting to note that, there is no grief expressed when a body transitions through these stages of boyhood, youth, old age (infact it is celebrated through

various rituals!), but when the soul sheds the body (death), it is considered tragedy. Sri Krishna says a brave man will not brood and lament. We see deaths and births. The great philosopher Adi Sankara says punarabi jananam punarabi  maranam  It is a cycle, withbirths and deaths repeating. A soul can get released from this cycle only by uttering Sri Govinda s name, says Adi Sankara. Atman as such is not born. When it contacts and resides in a body we call it birth. When the same atman departs from the body it was residing, we call it death. But atman never dies. In this sloka, atman is referred as dehi. A person is born as a child; he becomes a boy, then a lad and then old man. These changes pertain to body only and not to the soul. Sri Krishna calls him who understands this true nature of the soul a dheera or brave man. When a person becomes a boy after being a child but never laments that he lost his childhood. Similarly an old man does not mourn for the lost youth. On the contrary, we celebrate every stage in our life, like marriages, fatherhood, etc (Seemantham, Punyojanam, Marriage, Saattabhishekam, Kaanakabhishekam etc). The soul in the body- I - has been watching all these changes happening on the body. It is able to remember when the body was of a child and then of youth, etc. We remember when we started learning cycling and similar details. Another great philosopher Madhavcharya, says, we should lament when child becomes youth. Whereas we are happy and celebrate. We should realize that we are going from one phase to another. A worm while moving from one leaf to another, clings to the new leaf and leaves the earlier one. Same thing happening to body also and so there should be no room for worry and concern. A person with such attitude is called dheera. After listening to this explanation , the Lord expects arjuna to reply as  I accept that the body is perishable and the soul is permanent . But the soul is not divorced from the body . I have to bear the suffering due to arrows piercing my body and that of others who are dear to me . How then do you justify this war with respect to the degree of suffering caused ?  This question is answered by the lord in the subsequent slokas .

2.14. matra-sparshas tu kaunteya ! sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah agama payino anityaH ! tams-  titikshasva bharata "O son of Kunti, the cold and heat and happiness and distress, are transient. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed." O son of Kunti , as a result of the action of basic forces(tanma:tra:s) in the form of shabda , sparsha , roopa , rasa and gandha otherwise speech , sensation , form , fluidity and smell with which the senses come into contact by means of the field of association called samyo:ga , coldness , heat etc are felt. These cause happiness and sorrow in varying proportions. In the state of liberation , such happiness or sorrow are incapable of affecting the soul. Hence you must bear with such happiness and sorrow. In response to previous sloka, Arjuna responds that, if the soul is eternal and moves from body to body, then it will be ok, if the "I" is aware of this change. But, since a person does not know or does not have any proof of this, he is doubtful and grieved at the thought of shedding his body at death! Krishna says in response, that since he is saying this happens, it should be accepted. Great Gnaani's and Yogis know about this. Since individuals are ignorant, they don't realize it. For eg: WHen a sun sets in east, it rises on the other side of the earth. Even though people in east cannot directly infer it, the truth is the sun is visible elsewhere. Thus we believe others in the other part of the world saying that the Sun is still shining. So, He asks Arjuna, 'you believe others but why not what I said about the Atman?'. This is a difficult suggestion. But only when we have this unshakable faith in Him that what He told is the truth and correct, we can be regarded as Bhakthas. This appears to be illogical. There are many yogis and saints, who have seen the atman going from one body to another. They are able to tell what was the previous birth and what the future birth would be. If one cultivates one s knowledge, one can also know all these abstract happenings. So Sri Krishna says that just because Arjuna did not know the traverse from one body to another, he cannot deny that phenomenon. Arjuna says that granting what He said was accepted, why still one should fight and suffer? Even if the body and all matters are momentary, all feel the pain and why should we suffer? Arjuna then has another question, accepting even that soul is eternal, don't we still have to suffer with pain in this body, indulging in warfare ?? Krishna responds that it is true, but a true gnaani should bear it with equanimity. Sri Krishna says that when objectives are exalted, one has to bear these pains. All types of weather (Heat, Cold etc) and all types of situations (Happiness, Grief etc) should be borne with calmness and same attitude by a true gnaani. The basis for all this pain and pleasure is our "TanMaatras" which is INEVITABLE. (Senses and the PanchaBhootams) Maatra - TanMaatra : Pancha Bhootam -Pritvi, Vayu, Apsu, Tejas, Akasaam Pancha Tanmatram - Shabdham, Sparsam, Roopam, Rasam, Gandham - "Gandhavati Pruthvi" (man-Vaasanai SMELL - NOSE) , "Water-Ruchi Rasam TASTE - TONGUE" "Blaze of Fire has a FORM - EYES" , "Roopa Rahita Sparashavaan Vayu - TOUCH SKIN" "Shabdham - SOUND - EAR" Cold and heat and happiness and sorrow should be tolerated. Which are responsible for these feelings? Sri Krishna mentions mathra and contact. Mathra denotes the pancha thanmathra or the five basic feelings related to the five basic elements. The five elements are earth, water, fire, air and space [prithvi, appu, agni, vayu and akasam]. Each of these has a unique characteristic. These characteristics are called the thanmathras. Smell or gandham is earth s feature. Taste or rasam is of water. Appearance or roopam is of fire. Touch or sparsam is of air and sound or shabdam is of space. Each of these thanmathras are felt by specific organs in our body, nose for smell, tongue for taste, eyes for vision, ears for hearing and skin for touch. ELEMENT**** THANMATHRA **** SENSING ORGAN Earth *********smell or scent********* nose Water********* taste***************** tongue Fire************vision or sight ********eyes Air ************touch****************skin Space********** sound**************** ear When there is a contact between the elements and the organs, we get that feeling which is responsible for happiness or sorrow. If this contact or connection was

2.14. matra-sparshas tu kaunteya ! sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah agama payino anityaH ! tams-  titikshasva bharata "O son of Kunti, the cold and heat and happiness and distress, are transient. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed." O son of Kunti , as a result of the action of basic forces(tanma:tra:s) in the form of shabda , sparsha , roopa , rasa and gandha otherwise speech , sensation , form , fluidity and smell with which the senses come into contact by means of the field of association called samyo:ga , coldness , heat etc are felt. These cause happiness and sorrow in varying proportions. In the state of liberation , such happiness or sorrow are incapable of affecting the soul. Hence you must bear with such happiness and sorrow. In response to previous sloka, Arjuna responds that, if the soul is eternal and moves from body to body, then it will be ok, if the "I" is aware of this change. But, since a person does not know or does not have any proof of this, he is doubtful and grieved at the thought of shedding his body at death! Krishna says in response, that since he is saying this happens, it should be accepted. Great Gnaani's and Yogis know about this. Since individuals are ignorant, they don't realize it. For eg: WHen a sun sets in east, it rises on the other side of the earth. Even though people in east cannot directly infer it, the truth is the sun is visible elsewhere. Thus we believe others in the other part of the world saying that the Sun is still shining. So, He asks Arjuna, 'you believe others but why not what I said about the Atman?'. This is a difficult suggestion. But only when we have this unshakable faith in Him that what He told is the truth and correct, we can be regarded as Bhakthas. This appears to be illogical. There are many yogis and saints, who have seen the atman going from one body to another. They are able to tell what was the previous birth and what the future birth would be. If one cultivates one s knowledge, one can also know all these abstract happenings. So Sri Krishna says that just because Arjuna did not know the traverse from one body to another, he cannot deny that phenomenon. Arjuna says that granting what He said was accepted, why still one should fight and suffer? Even if the body and all matters are momentary, all feel the pain and why should we suffer? Arjuna then has another question, accepting even that soul is eternal, don't we still have to suffer with pain in this body, indulging in warfare ?? Krishna responds that it is true, but a true gnaani should bear it with equanimity. Sri Krishna says that when objectives are exalted, one has to bear these pains. All types of weather (Heat, Cold etc) and all types of situations (Happiness, Grief etc) should be borne with calmness and same attitude by a true gnaani. The basis for all this pain and pleasure is our "TanMaatras" which is INEVITABLE. (Senses and the PanchaBhootams) Maatra - TanMaatra : Pancha Bhootam -Pritvi, Vayu, Apsu, Tejas, Akasaam Pancha Tanmatram - Shabdham, Sparsam, Roopam, Rasam, Gandham - "Gandhavati Pruthvi" (man-Vaasanai SMELL - NOSE) , "Water-Ruchi Rasam TASTE - TONGUE" "Blaze of Fire has a FORM - EYES" , "Roopa Rahita Sparashavaan Vayu - TOUCH SKIN" "Shabdham - SOUND - EAR" Cold and heat and happiness and sorrow should be tolerated. Which are responsible for these feelings? Sri Krishna mentions mathra and contact. Mathra denotes the pancha thanmathra or the five basic feelings related to the five basic elements. The five elements are earth, water, fire, air and space [prithvi, appu, agni, vayu and akasam]. Each of these has a unique characteristic. These characteristics are called the thanmathras. Smell or gandham is earth s feature. Taste or rasam is of water. Appearance or roopam is of fire. Touch or sparsam is of air and sound or shabdam is of space. Each of these thanmathras are felt by specific organs in our body, nose for smell, tongue for taste, eyes for vision, ears for hearing and skin for touch. ELEMENT**** THANMATHRA **** SENSING ORGAN Earth *********smell or scent********* nose Water********* taste***************** tongue Fire************vision or sight ********eyes Air ************touch****************skin Space********** sound**************** ear When there is a contact between the elements and the organs, we get that feeling which is responsible for happiness or sorrow. If this contact or connection was